Secret Service accused of covering up car accident involving Kamala Harris

Secret Service director Kim Cheatle expresses concern over the accident being ‘mischaracterised’ as ‘mechanical failure’

US vice president Kamala Harris was involved in a car accident on Monday that was mischaracterised as a “mechanical failure” by the Secret Service.

On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Ms Harris’ motorcade, which was on the way to the White House, had struck a curb and the vice president was transferred to another vehicle.

Secret Service director Kim Cheatle expressed concerns that the accident had been “mischaracterised” as a “mechanical failure”, the report said.

In a statement to USA Today, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said on Wednesday that one of the vehicles that was part of the motorcade “had a minor overcorrection and struck a curb”.

Ms Harris, who was in the vehicle, was transferred to another vehicle and continued to the White House.

“Initial radio traffic indicated this was a mechanical failure and that was communicated to agency leadership by personnel supporting the motorcade movement,” Mr Guglielmi said.

“After the protective movement was completed, leadership was verbally updated with additional pertinent facts that the vehicle struck a curb.”

A social media video, reportedly filmed after the accident, showed a motorcade at the tunnel and some officials heading inside it.

Ms Cheatle had expressed concerns about the initial inaccuracy of the alert related to the vice president’s delay, according to The Washington Post.

The report said agents withheld key details of the crash from their superiors, with the Secret Service’s protective intelligence division ascribing the transfer to “a mechanical failure” in an internal alert.

It was only later in the day Ms Cheatle was notified that the alert had not conveyed accurately what transpired in the incident, one source told the newspaper.

Mr Guglielmi was quoted as saying that agents later briefed their bosses in person “with additional pertinent facts”.

In a statement, the vice president’s spokesperson Kirsten Allen said Ms Harris “sustained no injuries and appreciates the quick response by her USSS detail to get her to the White House safely”.